Sunday, October 28, 2007
Australia's doctors' attitude to pregnancy and childbirth "is focused more on the needs of doctors than the needs of women", according to a visiting expert.
British childbirth author Sheila Kitzinger said that Australia's rate of caesarean births is "far, far too high and there can be no reason why so many women need to be going through that."
31 percent of pregnant Australian women have a caesarean section. The World Health Organisation says that 15 percent is a safe rate.
Ms Kitzinger said that women "get forced through the hospital route by the obstetricians who don't allow birth to progress naturally because of their workload, or fear of getting sued, or because they are not listening to what women want."
"After a few hours they tell the women that labour is prolonged and there are foetal abnormalities and suddenly they are being wheeled in for a caesarean without being given a choice. Then the woman is left damaged and traumatised and that can affect the way she bonds with her baby - it's a disgrace."
Louisa Meek wanted a home birth for her son, Jack - now aged five months - but ended up having an emergency caesarean in hospital.
Ms Meek, 34, of Glebe, said when labour wasn't progressing at home she went to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where she hoped to give birth naturally. But she said after being left in the labour ward for six hours, staff came in and said she needed a caesarean, even though she wanted to continue and the baby was doing well.
"I felt like I was just an object on a factory line and no one was listening to me," she said.
"Even now I still get very emotional about it because it was so awful and really affected how I bonded with my baby. I'm not the only one. Four women in my mother's group have had similar experiences. You just feel that the obstetricians are indifferent towards you."
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
British childbirth author Sheila Kitzinger said that Australia's rate of caesarean births is "far, far too high and there can be no reason why so many women need to be going through that."
31 percent of pregnant Australian women have a caesarean section. The World Health Organisation says that 15 percent is a safe rate.
Ms Kitzinger said that women "get forced through the hospital route by the obstetricians who don't allow birth to progress naturally because of their workload, or fear of getting sued, or because they are not listening to what women want."
"After a few hours they tell the women that labour is prolonged and there are foetal abnormalities and suddenly they are being wheeled in for a caesarean without being given a choice. Then the woman is left damaged and traumatised and that can affect the way she bonds with her baby - it's a disgrace."
Louisa Meek wanted a home birth for her son, Jack - now aged five months - but ended up having an emergency caesarean in hospital.
Ms Meek, 34, of Glebe, said when labour wasn't progressing at home she went to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where she hoped to give birth naturally. But she said after being left in the labour ward for six hours, staff came in and said she needed a caesarean, even though she wanted to continue and the baby was doing well.
"I felt like I was just an object on a factory line and no one was listening to me," she said.
"Even now I still get very emotional about it because it was so awful and really affected how I bonded with my baby. I'm not the only one. Four women in my mother's group have had similar experiences. You just feel that the obstetricians are indifferent towards you."
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
A Liberal candidate has described homosexuality as a perversion, and said that that gay men die from disease at many times the rate of heterosexuals.
Pastor Peter Curtis is standing as the Liberal's candidate in the seat of Lalor for the second time.
He said that he "could never change my views that homosexuality is a perversion, because it is a perversion."
Mr Curtis said his view that gay men were many more times likely to die from disease than heterosexuals was supported by several passages in the Bible.
Mr Curtis said he was still hoping that gays and lesbians would vote for him.
(Source: The Age)
Pastor Peter Curtis is standing as the Liberal's candidate in the seat of Lalor for the second time.
He said that he "could never change my views that homosexuality is a perversion, because it is a perversion."
Mr Curtis said his view that gay men were many more times likely to die from disease than heterosexuals was supported by several passages in the Bible.
Mr Curtis said he was still hoping that gays and lesbians would vote for him.
(Source: The Age)
Millions of Australians have been locked out of the economic boom, and social isolation is "a fact of daily life" according to one of Australia's top businessmen.
Michael Chaney, the outgoing President of the Business Council of Australia, said many Australians continued to suffer poor education, poor health, and entrenched disadvantage.
He said that the education system was failing the 300,000 young people who did not have either full-time jobs or a place in further education.
Mr Chaney also said that many of the policy promises by both major parties would do little to help people locked out of the mainstream economy.
"Economic prosperity should be the catalyst to unwind disadvantage - not perpetrate it" he said.
(Source: The Age)
Michael Chaney, the outgoing President of the Business Council of Australia, said many Australians continued to suffer poor education, poor health, and entrenched disadvantage.
He said that the education system was failing the 300,000 young people who did not have either full-time jobs or a place in further education.
Mr Chaney also said that many of the policy promises by both major parties would do little to help people locked out of the mainstream economy.
"Economic prosperity should be the catalyst to unwind disadvantage - not perpetrate it" he said.
(Source: The Age)
The recent violent supression of pro-democracy protests in Burma has not stopped multi-national firms competing for access to the country's rich natural resources.
US energy giant Chevron, French oil group Total, and the China National Petroleum Corporation have all ignored Burmese and international calls for them to refuse to do business with Burma's military dictatorship.
Pro-democracy activist Debbie Stothard said that "all these profits go to the regime. These companies don't care about human rights and what is going on in [Burma's capital] Yangon."
Japanese company Nippon Oil said that "we see the political situation and energy business as separate matters."
While protests were still going on, India's Oil Minister Murli Deora was in Yangon signing contracts with Burma's military rulers to explore three offshore sites.
The government of Russia, which has described the crackdown as an "internal matter", also announced earlier this year that it would help build a nuclear research centre in Burma.
(Source: Herald-Sun)
US energy giant Chevron, French oil group Total, and the China National Petroleum Corporation have all ignored Burmese and international calls for them to refuse to do business with Burma's military dictatorship.
Pro-democracy activist Debbie Stothard said that "all these profits go to the regime. These companies don't care about human rights and what is going on in [Burma's capital] Yangon."
Japanese company Nippon Oil said that "we see the political situation and energy business as separate matters."
While protests were still going on, India's Oil Minister Murli Deora was in Yangon signing contracts with Burma's military rulers to explore three offshore sites.
The government of Russia, which has described the crackdown as an "internal matter", also announced earlier this year that it would help build a nuclear research centre in Burma.
(Source: Herald-Sun)
The Catholic Church is evicting nuns from their convents, so the buildings can be sold to fund payments to victims of child-abusing priests.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed earlier this year to pay the accusers of 221 priests and other male church employees.
Among those being forced to move is 69 year old Sister Angela Escalera who, diabetic and able to get around only with a walker, had hoped to live out her days in the Santa Barbara convent of the Sisters of Bethany.
The nuns themselves have been ordered not to comment on their eviction. However former nun Angelina Diaz said that "there are priests living in fabulous-looking little houses, by themselves."
"You don't see them getting kicked out."
Another former nun, Rosemary Escalera Gutierrez, said that "It's the same mistake all over again: 'Be quiet, be quiet. Don't say anything. Don't rock the boat.'"
(Source: Washington Post [US])
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed earlier this year to pay the accusers of 221 priests and other male church employees.
Among those being forced to move is 69 year old Sister Angela Escalera who, diabetic and able to get around only with a walker, had hoped to live out her days in the Santa Barbara convent of the Sisters of Bethany.
The nuns themselves have been ordered not to comment on their eviction. However former nun Angelina Diaz said that "there are priests living in fabulous-looking little houses, by themselves."
"You don't see them getting kicked out."
Another former nun, Rosemary Escalera Gutierrez, said that "It's the same mistake all over again: 'Be quiet, be quiet. Don't say anything. Don't rock the boat.'"
(Source: Washington Post [US])
Average Melbourne house prices have increased by $50,000 in the last year alone.
Median house prices have seen the largest rise ever recorded for a 12 month period. Economists say there could be as many as three interest rate rises in the year ahead.
Prices in Melbourne's most affordable suburb, Melton, rose by 18.9 per cent in the year to a median of $214,000.
Liberal Party advertisements before the last election promised that the Government would keep interest rates at record lows.
(Source: The Age)
Median house prices have seen the largest rise ever recorded for a 12 month period. Economists say there could be as many as three interest rate rises in the year ahead.
Prices in Melbourne's most affordable suburb, Melton, rose by 18.9 per cent in the year to a median of $214,000.
Liberal Party advertisements before the last election promised that the Government would keep interest rates at record lows.
(Source: The Age)
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Quote of the Moment:
"I worked as environmental adviser for the World Bank Group, headquartered in Washington, for 23 years. I joined because I believed the bank wanted to improve the lot of the poor and conserve the environment...most social and environmental policies were gutted, and those that remain are no longer being rigorously followed...The Bank Group is stimulating hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of cattle ranching in Amazonia, an activity I campaigned against strongly. These ranching investments violate applicable standards for both deforestation and slavery."
Former World Bank advisor Robert Goodland.
"I worked as environmental adviser for the World Bank Group, headquartered in Washington, for 23 years. I joined because I believed the bank wanted to improve the lot of the poor and conserve the environment...most social and environmental policies were gutted, and those that remain are no longer being rigorously followed...The Bank Group is stimulating hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of cattle ranching in Amazonia, an activity I campaigned against strongly. These ranching investments violate applicable standards for both deforestation and slavery."
Former World Bank advisor Robert Goodland.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Unions' right to strike will be limited under a Labor government, according to Labor's Industrial Relations spokesperson.
Julia Gillard, the deputy Labor leader and Shadow Minister for Employment & Industrial Relations, said that Victorian nurses would not be able to conduct the same type of industrial relations actions under a Rudd government as in the past.
Ms Gillard said strikes under a Rudd government would only be allowed if there was a bargaining period and there was a secret ballot of all workers at that particular enterprise supporting it.
(Source: The Australian)
Julia Gillard, the deputy Labor leader and Shadow Minister for Employment & Industrial Relations, said that Victorian nurses would not be able to conduct the same type of industrial relations actions under a Rudd government as in the past.
Ms Gillard said strikes under a Rudd government would only be allowed if there was a bargaining period and there was a secret ballot of all workers at that particular enterprise supporting it.
(Source: The Australian)
The Victorian Labor government has used the "full force" of the WorkChoices legislation in an industrial dispute with nurses, despite Labor officially opposing the laws.
The State Labor government approved the use of the legislation to dock the pay of nurses involved in the dispute.
Australian Nursing Federation Victorian secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said that it was previously a long-standing state government policy that nurses were paid if they did not withdraw their labour.
Ms Fitzpatrick also said that the state Government had directed hospital chief executives to conduct interviews with nurses to determine if they were taking part in the industrial action "so that they can apply the full force of the Work Choices laws against them".
(Source: The Australian)
The State Labor government approved the use of the legislation to dock the pay of nurses involved in the dispute.
Australian Nursing Federation Victorian secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said that it was previously a long-standing state government policy that nurses were paid if they did not withdraw their labour.
Ms Fitzpatrick also said that the state Government had directed hospital chief executives to conduct interviews with nurses to determine if they were taking part in the industrial action "so that they can apply the full force of the Work Choices laws against them".
(Source: The Australian)
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
A business owner made his staff pay for the time they spent in the toilet.
The owner of the bakery in Eisenstadt, in Austria, recorded toilet visits on a computer and took the value of the time off their annual holiday bonus, according to a lawyer for a former employee who started legal action.
The former employee took the case to the local labour court and the businessman ended the practice before the case was scheduled to go to court, after being told it was illegal.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
The owner of the bakery in Eisenstadt, in Austria, recorded toilet visits on a computer and took the value of the time off their annual holiday bonus, according to a lawyer for a former employee who started legal action.
The former employee took the case to the local labour court and the businessman ended the practice before the case was scheduled to go to court, after being told it was illegal.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
A high school teacher who sent pornographic text messages to a student, and another who had an 'inappropriate relationship' with a student, will be allowed to continue teaching.
Maths teacher Vahe Sargsyan sent phone messages to one of his Year 12 students, including one describing her as an "underage hottie" and another asking her to send an explicit photo of herself.
Another teacher, Craig William Smith, had a 'relationship' with an underage Year 12 student including fondling her breasts.
Both men were only suspended for teaching for one year.
(Source: Herald-Sun)
Maths teacher Vahe Sargsyan sent phone messages to one of his Year 12 students, including one describing her as an "underage hottie" and another asking her to send an explicit photo of herself.
Another teacher, Craig William Smith, had a 'relationship' with an underage Year 12 student including fondling her breasts.
Both men were only suspended for teaching for one year.
(Source: Herald-Sun)
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Quote of the Moment:
"There is no question that America is living a nightmare with no end in sight."
Ricardo Sanchez, former commander of Western forces in Iraq, on the war.
"There is no question that America is living a nightmare with no end in sight."
Ricardo Sanchez, former commander of Western forces in Iraq, on the war.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Abortion rates are similar in countries where it is legal and those where it is not, according to a new study.
The study, a collaboration between scientists from the World Health Organization in Geneva and the Guttmacher Institute in New York, found that the main effect of legal abortions is to make abortion safer.
Some studies have concluded that in South Africa, the legalisation of abortion in 1996 led to a 90 percent decrease in mortality among women who had abortions.
However, the study also found that there was a factor which led to fewer abortions; wide availability of contraception.
The study found that globally, abortion accounts for 13 percent of women's deaths in childbirth or pregnancy.
(Source: New York Times)
The study, a collaboration between scientists from the World Health Organization in Geneva and the Guttmacher Institute in New York, found that the main effect of legal abortions is to make abortion safer.
Some studies have concluded that in South Africa, the legalisation of abortion in 1996 led to a 90 percent decrease in mortality among women who had abortions.
However, the study also found that there was a factor which led to fewer abortions; wide availability of contraception.
The study found that globally, abortion accounts for 13 percent of women's deaths in childbirth or pregnancy.
(Source: New York Times)
Saturday, October 13, 2007
George Bush has opposed a resolution condemning genocide, on the grounds that it would upset an ally.
Mr Bush urged Congress not to pass a resolution which would describe the Armenian Massacre - the killing and deportation of up to 1.5 million Armenians by the Turkish government from 1915 to 1917 - as genocide.
The event is widely recognised as having been genocide, although the government of Turkey continues to insist it was not.
Adolf Hitler is said to have been influenced by the Turkish government's actions, and to have rhetorically asked "who still talks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?"
Passing the resolution, the President said, "would do great harm to our relations with a key ally...in the global war on terror."
(Source: Forbes [US], Wikipedia)
Mr Bush urged Congress not to pass a resolution which would describe the Armenian Massacre - the killing and deportation of up to 1.5 million Armenians by the Turkish government from 1915 to 1917 - as genocide.
The event is widely recognised as having been genocide, although the government of Turkey continues to insist it was not.
Adolf Hitler is said to have been influenced by the Turkish government's actions, and to have rhetorically asked "who still talks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?"
Passing the resolution, the President said, "would do great harm to our relations with a key ally...in the global war on terror."
(Source: Forbes [US], Wikipedia)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The government has drastically cut the number of African refugees allowed into Australia, accusing them of being ill-educated and unemployed, and failing to integrate into Australian society.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Kevin Andrews, said that the government will significantly decrease the number of African refugees admitted to Australia, from 70 percent of the total of 13,000 refugees two years ago to 30 percent in the coming year. Given that something like 4,000 have already been admitted into Australia as refugees, this means that no more African refugees will be entering the country until at least July next year.
Mr Andrews said that "there is a large number of people who are young, that is in their teens and in their early 20s, often young men. We know that they have on average, low levels of education and lower levels of education than almost any other group of refugees that have come to Australia. And by low levels I mean, we're talking about grade 2 and grade 3 primary school levels by way of education...that's played out in terms of young people who've got a low level of education, who therefore find it more difficult to get jobs."
Mr Andrews said Sudanese refugees presented a particular problem.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees said that were was no evidence that there are any integration difficulties particular to Sudanese refugees. The government has not said what evidence its decision was based on.
According to Victoria Police, Sudanese people are convicted of crimes less often than the general population.
(Source: FightDemBack.com)
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Kevin Andrews, said that the government will significantly decrease the number of African refugees admitted to Australia, from 70 percent of the total of 13,000 refugees two years ago to 30 percent in the coming year. Given that something like 4,000 have already been admitted into Australia as refugees, this means that no more African refugees will be entering the country until at least July next year.
Mr Andrews said that "there is a large number of people who are young, that is in their teens and in their early 20s, often young men. We know that they have on average, low levels of education and lower levels of education than almost any other group of refugees that have come to Australia. And by low levels I mean, we're talking about grade 2 and grade 3 primary school levels by way of education...that's played out in terms of young people who've got a low level of education, who therefore find it more difficult to get jobs."
Mr Andrews said Sudanese refugees presented a particular problem.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees said that were was no evidence that there are any integration difficulties particular to Sudanese refugees. The government has not said what evidence its decision was based on.
According to Victoria Police, Sudanese people are convicted of crimes less often than the general population.
(Source: FightDemBack.com)
Monday, October 08, 2007
Labor leader Kevin Rudd and his wife have expressed an interest in buying a waterfront property worth an estimated $5 million.
Mr Rudd has holidayed at the property, which costs $10,000 a week to rent, several times.
Electrical Trades Union secretary Dean Mighell said that, while he hoped Labor won the election, "it's any wonder we have trouble getting him to understand how hard workers and unions are doing it."
Mr Mighell was expelled from the Labor Party for using "language that was right over the line" and for "exhibiting an industrial attitude which is unacceptable in the modern age" in a union meeting, when he reported on an unexpectedly large pay rise he'd successfully negotiated for his members.
(Source: Herald-Sun, ALP website)
Mr Rudd has holidayed at the property, which costs $10,000 a week to rent, several times.
Electrical Trades Union secretary Dean Mighell said that, while he hoped Labor won the election, "it's any wonder we have trouble getting him to understand how hard workers and unions are doing it."
Mr Mighell was expelled from the Labor Party for using "language that was right over the line" and for "exhibiting an industrial attitude which is unacceptable in the modern age" in a union meeting, when he reported on an unexpectedly large pay rise he'd successfully negotiated for his members.
(Source: Herald-Sun, ALP website)
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
American police have been videotaped beating civilians, and have been accused of torturing suspects into confessing, and discussing murdering a colleage to cover up corruption.
Federal prosecutors charged Chicago special operations officer Jerome Finnigan with planning the murder of another member of the unit to keep him from talking to the government.
He is one of six members of the special operations unit, created to crack down on gangs and drugs, who are charged with operating a shakedown operation aimed at civilians. Prosecutors say they have him on tape weighing the possibility of having someone kill a fellow special operations officer to keep him from becoming a witness against him.
In July, three off-duty officers pleaded not guilty to charges that they beat four businessmen in a bar in a videotaped confrontation.
In another videotaped confrontation, off-duty officer Anthony Abbate was seen 'allegedly' beating a 115-pound female bartender because she would not serve him another drink. Abbate has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of aggravated battery.
Five federal lawsuits accuse police and city officials of covering up the torture of murder suspects at the Area 2 detective headquarters.
A four-year study by two special prosecutors appointed by a Cook County judge, released in July 2006, found that Chicago police beat, kicked and shocked scores of black suspects in the 1970s and 1980s to get confessions. Some of the suspects ended up on death row. The report said it was impossible to file charges because the incidents were so old that the statute of limitations had long since run out.
Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor, says police internal investigations have been shoddy and rarely resulted in discipline against the officers.
"If they investigated crimes the way they investigate complaints against police officers they would never close a case" he said.
(Source: Associated Press)
Federal prosecutors charged Chicago special operations officer Jerome Finnigan with planning the murder of another member of the unit to keep him from talking to the government.
He is one of six members of the special operations unit, created to crack down on gangs and drugs, who are charged with operating a shakedown operation aimed at civilians. Prosecutors say they have him on tape weighing the possibility of having someone kill a fellow special operations officer to keep him from becoming a witness against him.
In July, three off-duty officers pleaded not guilty to charges that they beat four businessmen in a bar in a videotaped confrontation.
In another videotaped confrontation, off-duty officer Anthony Abbate was seen 'allegedly' beating a 115-pound female bartender because she would not serve him another drink. Abbate has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of aggravated battery.
Five federal lawsuits accuse police and city officials of covering up the torture of murder suspects at the Area 2 detective headquarters.
A four-year study by two special prosecutors appointed by a Cook County judge, released in July 2006, found that Chicago police beat, kicked and shocked scores of black suspects in the 1970s and 1980s to get confessions. Some of the suspects ended up on death row. The report said it was impossible to file charges because the incidents were so old that the statute of limitations had long since run out.
Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor, says police internal investigations have been shoddy and rarely resulted in discipline against the officers.
"If they investigated crimes the way they investigate complaints against police officers they would never close a case" he said.
(Source: Associated Press)
Quotes of the Moment:
"I think it would be irresponsible."
"I cannot make that commitment."
"It is very difficult to know what we're going to be inheriting."
The leading Democratic candidates for US President, Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hilary Rodham Clinton, when asked if they would commit to have the US military out of Iraq by January 2013. Senate Democrats recently helped pass a defense policy bill authorizing another US$150 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I think it would be irresponsible."
"I cannot make that commitment."
"It is very difficult to know what we're going to be inheriting."
The leading Democratic candidates for US President, Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hilary Rodham Clinton, when asked if they would commit to have the US military out of Iraq by January 2013. Senate Democrats recently helped pass a defense policy bill authorizing another US$150 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A police officer led a campaign of "racially motivated police violence" against young refugees, according to a police report.
The report by the Ethical Standards Department was on the officer in charge of Flemington station in 2005 and 2006. The officer's identity has not been made public.
During this time, young refugees from Africa complained of racist actions by police, including being "punched and kneed", punched while handcuffed, and slapped and choked by police officers.
One youth alleged he was forced to strip naked below the waist, in public and again at the police station, in the course of an unlawful search by police. There were also allegations of repeated racial abuse.
One youth alleged that he was punched twice in the head while his face was on the ground. His head was stood on while an officer told him he was a "black cunt" and smoked. Another youth alleged that police hit him repeatedly on the head while he was seated and handcuffed, causing him to fall to the ground.
The Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre said that, even though the officer had moved, the legal centre continued to receive complaints about racial harrassment and aggression by police from other stations in the area. The centre now has 18 complaints awaiting investigation by the Office of Police Integrity.
(Source: The Age)
The report by the Ethical Standards Department was on the officer in charge of Flemington station in 2005 and 2006. The officer's identity has not been made public.
During this time, young refugees from Africa complained of racist actions by police, including being "punched and kneed", punched while handcuffed, and slapped and choked by police officers.
One youth alleged he was forced to strip naked below the waist, in public and again at the police station, in the course of an unlawful search by police. There were also allegations of repeated racial abuse.
One youth alleged that he was punched twice in the head while his face was on the ground. His head was stood on while an officer told him he was a "black cunt" and smoked. Another youth alleged that police hit him repeatedly on the head while he was seated and handcuffed, causing him to fall to the ground.
The Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre said that, even though the officer had moved, the legal centre continued to receive complaints about racial harrassment and aggression by police from other stations in the area. The centre now has 18 complaints awaiting investigation by the Office of Police Integrity.
(Source: The Age)
